* Grasses: This is the most important part of their diet, making up about 75% of their food intake. They prefer short, tender grasses but will also eat longer, tougher grasses depending on the season.
* Forbs: These are broad-leaved herbaceous plants, like wildflowers, clover, and legumes. They provide important nutrients for bison, especially during the spring and summer when grasses are less nutritious.
* Sedges: These are a type of grass-like plant often found in wet areas.
* Twigs and bark: Bison will also eat twigs and bark during the winter when other food sources are scarce.
Bison are grazers, meaning they eat vegetation close to the ground. They have strong teeth and a digestive system that is adapted to breaking down tough plant material. They also have a large rumen, which is the first chamber of their stomach, where bacteria help digest the cellulose in plants.
Here's a quick breakdown of what bison eat throughout the year:
* Spring and Summer: Bison graze primarily on grasses and forbs, which are abundant and nutritious during these seasons.
* Fall: They continue to eat grasses, but they also start to eat more sedges and forbs.
* Winter: Food becomes scarce during the winter, so bison rely more on twigs, bark, and dried grasses. They may also dig through the snow to find buried grasses.
Overall, bison are well-adapted to their diet of grasses and other plants. They are important grazers that help maintain the health of their ecosystems.